Satellite navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), utilize satellites to provide location and time information to GPS receivers. During initial acquisition of satellite signals, however, a GPS receiver may not have the precise time, satellite almanac, and user location information necessary to perform antenna beamforming operations to acquire satellite signals. A GPS receiver may therefore default to a “search the sky” mode of operation to search for all available satellites in the sky above the GPS receiver.
A GPS receiver typically performs the “search the sky” mode of operation by passing through and not manipulating its antenna gain pattern at all in order to simulate an omnidirectional gain pattern. It is noted, however, that the simulated omnidirectional gain pattern provided in this manner often incur significantly reduced gain, inhibiting the ability of the GPS receiver to acquire satellite signals even without presence of jamming signals. The problem may be particularly noticeable if the antenna is installed on an aircraft, especially if the antenna is recessed into the skin of the aircraft.